Meditations with Pastor Tom (8/22/20)

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'" ~ Matthew 22:37 

            One of my favorite TV shows, Greenleaf, recently aired its final episode. The OWN network program centered around a family, many of whom were preachers, and their megachurch.  Sometimes, we would see the church in worship.  We would see the gigantic choir singing and swaying,  the congregation clapping their hands and shouting "amens," and the pastor engaging in powerful and animated preaching.  Watching their spectacle, I admit that tidbits of jealousy snuck into my heart because I know there are real churches like that where people display openly their raucous excitement for their love of God, and I sometimes wish we were just a little bit more like that. 

            However, when I leave the TV world and come back to reality, I know that passionate spirituality is not about the way we worship.  Passionate spirituality can sprout in formal liturgies, in silent prayers and private contemplation, and in just about any context you can imagine.   

            Passionate spirituality is also not about what we believe.  It is not a commodity reserved only for charismatic churches that whoop and holler and roll around in the aisles.  It is not limited by denominational borders, and it is not confined by any doctrinal positions. 

            Still, when Jesus calls us to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds, that necessarily means there will be passion in our spiritual journey.  Our spiritual lives will be at the core of who we are as individuals. Our relationship with God will be the guiding force in our lives.  That relationship becomes so deeply embedded in our souls that it becomes impossible to make a decision without God being consulted or consciously ignored. 

            I hope my preaching and my relationship with all of you shows my passion for God.  I hope all of our lives are centered in God with all our hearts and souls and minds. I hope our passion for our spiritual journey is plainly evident to all those who know us.  And I hope you will forgive if my human desires wish we would do a better job of letting our passion show. 

The Sermon this Sunday 

Is Christianity about a transaction or a transformation?